Strap buckle



Dec. 14, 1965 H PALMLEAF ETAL 3,222,745

STRAP BUCKLE Filed March 5, 1964 INVENTORS Herbe@ PQmeQZ nited States Patent f 3,222,745 STRAP BUCKLE Herbert lPalmieaf", Lake Forest, and Anthony Tako, North Lake, Ill., assignors to A. J. Gerrard Manufacturing Company, Des Plaines, lil., a corporation of illinois Filed Mar. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 348,958 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-269) Our present invention relates to a buckle for securing together the ends of a flexible strap employed in packing operations.

It is a primary object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle for securing together the ends of a flexible resilient strap, fabricated of a material such as nylon, looped around a box, bale -or like package.

It is `another object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which is operable to tension the strap after the latter has been disposed about the package and loosely associated with the buckle.

It is another object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which is operable to tension the strap about the package by folding overlapping portions of the strap back upon themselves.

It is another object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which may be readily locked in a strap tensioning position for securely maintaining the strap Linder tension.

It is a further object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which in tensioning position prevents the strap from shifting sidewise relative to the buckle.

It is a further object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which may be readily laced with strap being withdrawn from a roll of strapping material.

It is a further object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which is inexpensive to fabricate, and which may be readily disposed in, 4and released from, strap tensioning position without the use of any tools or other equipment.

It is a still further object of our present invention to provide a strap buckle, as described, which will lie substantially fiat on the package when in strap tensioning position.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in th-e art with the manner of making and using strap buckles in accordance with the principles of our present invention, we shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawing, a preferred embodiment of our invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the strap buckle of our present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of the strap buckle of FIGURE 1, taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIGURE l, looking in th-e direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a strap loosely disposed about a package and laced with our strap buckle which is shown in longitudinal section;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view, on a reduced scale, of the buckle and strap of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a `strap disposed about a package and placed under tension with our strap buckle which is shown in longitudinal section;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan View, on a reduced scale, of the buckle and strap of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of a strap disposed about a package and held under tension, with our strap buckle, which is shown in longitudinal section, being locked in strap tensioning position; `and 3,222,745 Patented Dec., 14, i955 ICE FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan vrew, on a reduced scale, of the buckle and strap of FIGURE 7.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1f) the strap buckle of our present invention. The generally fiat buckle 1f) comprises an elongated leg portion 12, which to gain rigidity and to resist bending thereof, is formed with a longitudinal rib 14. The rib 14 extends substantially the full length of the leg portion 12 and projects out of the plane of the buckle 1t) in one direction. The buckle 1f) further comprises a locking finger portion 16 joined at one end to the leg portion 12 adjacent one end thereof substantially perpendicularly thereto. The finger portion 16, adjacent the outer end thereof, is formed with a locking toot-h or means 1S having an abutment edge 20 which faces in the direction of the leg portion 12 and which is offset from the plane of the buckle 10 in the same direction as the rib 14.

Extending substantially perpendicularly from the leg portion 12 in the same direction as the finger portion 16 are three arm portions 22, 24 and 26. These arm portions, which at their one ends are joined to the leg portion 12, are spaced apart from each other, with the arm portions 22 and 24 serving to define a first slot 28 therebetween, and with the arm portions 24 and 2o serving to define a second slot 30 therebetween. Extending transversely of the other ends of the arm portions 22, 24 and 25 and joined thereto is a bridge portion 32 which closes the adjacent ends of the slots 28 and 30. The bridge portion 32, for the sake of rigidity and to resist bending, is formed with a longitudinal rib 34. The rib 34 extends substantially the full length of the bridge portion 32 and projects out of the plane of the buckle 1@ in the same direction as the rib 14 of the leg portion 12.

For la purpose to be more fully described hereinafter, the arm portion 22 is arranged with the edge thereof opposite the first slot `28 spaced inwardly of the adjacent ends of the leg portion 12 and the bridge portion 32 whereby to define a locking recess 36. In addition, the edge 38 of the arm portion 24 along the first slot 23 is bent out of the .plane of the buckle 1li in the same direction as the rib 14, and the edge 4t) of the arm portion 24 along the second slot 30 is of slight arcuate or convex configuration. Still further, the edges 42 and 44 of the arrn portions 22 and 26 along the first and second slots 28 and 3i) respectively are bent out of the plane of the buckle 1t) in a direction opposite to that of the rib 14. The buckle 10 is preferably formed or stamped in one integral piece from a sheet or `strip of metal. We have found that cold rolled strip steel having a thickness of .040 inch is suitable for our purpose. By reason of thc described construction, the strap buckle of our present invention is inexpensive to fabricate.

The manner of lacing a strap with the buckle 1t) during a banding operation may be best understood by referring to FIGURES 3 and 4. After the buckle 1li has been disposed adjacent a surface of a package or object 46 to be banded with the ribs 14 and 34 facing downwardly, flexible strap 48 is drawn from a supply roll S0. The buckle 10 is especially adapted for use with nylon strapping material produced from Dymetrol. This material is resilient and will thus remain snug about a banded package. The free end 52 of the strap 48 is rst fed upwardly through the slot 28 and then downwardly through the slot 3o and, after being drawn around the package 46, is again fed yupwardly through the slot 28 and downwardly through the slot 30, whereby portions of the strap 48 adjacent the buckle 10 are disposed in overlapping relation. In this connection, the bent edges 42, 38 and 44 of the arm portions 22, 24 and 26 respectively serve to accommodate and facilitate threading or lacing of the strap 43 through the slots 23 and 30. At

this point in the banding operation after the free end 52 of the strap 48 has been twice looped through the slots 28 and 30, the section of the strap 4S leading from the supply roll 50 is manually pulled in the direction of the roll 50 so as to draw the band 48 taut about the package 46.

To place the strap 48, which is disposed about the package 46, under tension, the end of the buckle 10 adjacent the finger portion 16 is raised upwardly and the buckle 10 is swung in a direction lengthwise of the strap 48 through approximately 180. During such swinging movement of the buckle 10, the end thereof adjacent the recess 36 serves as a fulcrum point. An intermediate swingable position of the buckle 10 is shown in dash lines in FIGURE 3, and the terminal swingable, or strap tensioning, position of the buckle 10 is shown in solid lines in FIGURES 5 and 6. As best shown in FIGURE 5, swinging movement of the buckle serves to gather, or to fold back upon themselves, the over-lapping portions of the strap 48 adjacent the slots 28 and 30, whereby the strap 48 is placed in tension about the package 46.

In order to lock the buckle 10 in its strap tensioning position, the buckle is moved or pivoted arcuately from the solid line position shown in FIGURE 6 to the dash line position until the outer edge of the finger porti-on 16 clears the strap 48. Then, the finger portion 16 is pressed downwardly toward the package 46 and is inserted or disposed intermediate of the package 46 and the strap 48, with the buckle 1t) being simultaneously moved from the dash line position shown in FIGURE 6 to the solid line position shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. During this operation, the convex edge 40 of the arm portion 24 of the buckle 10 serves to facilitate sidewise arcuate movement of the buckle 10 and attendant sliding of the finger portion 16 beneath the strap 48. In strap tensioning position, the buckle 10 lies substantially fiat on the package.

When the buckle 10 is located in the position shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the abutment 20 of the locking tooth 18 and the edges of the leg portion 12 and bridge portion 32. defining the recess 36 are engageable with the edges of the strap 48 for lpreventing the strap from shifting sidewise relative to, or sliding away from, the buckle 10 and becoming dislodged from the finger portion 16. After the buckle 1f) has been locked in strap tensioning position, the strap 48 may be cut from the roll 50. Although the buckle 10 is adapted to be readily laced with strap being withdrawn from a roll of strapping material, it is to be understood that the buckle may also be used with strap pre-cut to length. The buckle 10 may be adjusted on, or removed from, a banded assembly by pressing down on the end of the buckle adjacent the linger portion 16 until the locking tooth 18 clears the edges of the adjacent overlapping band portions, moving the buckle sidewise to the dash line position shown in FIGURE 6, and permitting the buckle to swing back toward the posi- -tion shown in solid lines in FIGURE 3 whereupon the strap 48 is released from tension. Then, for adjustment the strap may be urged taut and the buckle returned to strap tensioning position, or for removal the ends of the strap may be unlaced from the buckle. In any event, it will be appreciated that the strap buckle of our present invention may be readily disposed in, and released from, lstrap tensioning position without the use of any tools or other equipment.

While we have shown and described what we believe to be a preferred embodiment of our present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. A strap buckle comprising an elongated leg portion, said leg portion having a longitudinal rib extending substantially the full length thereof and projecting out of the plane of said buckle in one direction, a finger portion joined at one end to said leg portion adjacent one end thereof substantially perpendicularly thereto, said finger portion having a locking tooth at the other end thereof with an abutment edge offset from the plane of said buckle in said one direction and facing in the direction of said leg portion, a first arm portion joined at one end to said leg portion adjacent the other end thereof, a second arm portion joined at one end to said leg portion and being spaced from said first arm portion in the direction of said finger portion, a third arm portion joined at one end to said leg portion and being spaced from said second arm portion in the direction of said finger portion, said arm portions being substantially perpendicular to said leg portion, said first and second arm portions serving to define a first slot therebetween, said second and third arm portions serving lto define a second slot therebetween, a bridge portion extending transversely of the other ends of said arm portions and joined thereto whereby to close the adjacent ends of said first and second slots, said bridge portion having a longitudinal rib extending substantially the full length thereof and projecting out of the plane of said buckle in said one direction, said first arm portion having the edge thereof opposite said first slot spaced inwardly of the adjacent ends of said leg portion and said bridge portion whereby to define a locking recess, said second arm portion having the edge thereof along said first slot bent out of the plane of said buckle in said one direction and having the edge thereof along said second slot convex in the direction of said finger portion, and said first and third arm portions having the edges thereof along said first and second slots respectively bent out of the plane of said buckle in the other direction.

2. For use With an object to be banded and a strap extending around the object with portions overlapping: a generally flat strap buckle comprising an elongated fiat strap buckle comprising an elongated leg portion, a finger portion joined at one end to said leg portion adjacent one end thereof substantially perpendicularly thereto, `said finger portion having locking means at the other end thereof, a first arm portion joined at one end to said leg portion adjacent the other end thereof, a second arm portion joined at one end to said leg portion and being spaced from said first arm portion in the direction of said finger portion, a third arm portion joined at one end to said leg portion and being spaced from said second arm portion in the direction of said finger portion, said arm portions being substantially perpendicular to said leg portion, said first and second arm portions serving to define a first slot therebetween, said second and third arm portions serving to define a second slot therebetween, a bridge portion extending transversely of the other ends of said arm portions and joined thereto whereby to close the adjacent ends of said first and second slots, said first arm portion having the edge thereof opposite said first slot spaced inwardly of the adjacent ends of said legv portion and said bridge portion whereby to define a locking recess, said second arm portion having the edge thereof along said first slot bent out of the plane of said buckleA in one direction and having the edge thereof along said' second slot convex in the direction of said finger portion, and said first and third arm portions having the edges thereof along said first and second slots respectively bent out of the plane of said buckle in the other direction; said first and second slots serving to receive the overlapped portions of the strap with said bent edges of saidV arm portions accommodating lacing of the strap through said slots; said buckle being swingable in a direction lengthwise of the strap through approximately to fold the portions of the strap adjacent said arm portions back upon themselves to tension the strap about the object; said finger portion being disposable intermediate the object and the strap for selectively maintaining said buckle in a strap tensioning position; said convex edge of said second arm portion serving to facilitate movement of said buckle relative to the strap during disposal position.

UNITED References Cited by the Examiner STATES PATENTS Rieker 24-23 Seymour 124-269 Jingels 24-23 Frost 24-273 Larkin 24-22 6 7/ 1902 Specht 24--198 4/ 1932 Alterson 24-77 1/1938 Masino et a1. 24-23 X 12/ 1953 Mattingly 24--273 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/ 1952 France. 1870 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 10 DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner.

E. SIMONSEN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STRAP BUCKLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED LEG PORTION, SAID LEG PORTION HAVING A LONGITUDINAL RIB EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF AND PROJECTING OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID BUCKLE IN ONE DIRECTION, A FINGER PORTION JOINED AT ONE END TO SAID LEG PORTION ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO, SAID FINGER PORTION HAVING A LOCKING TOOTH AT THE OTHER END THEREOF WITH AN ABUTMENT EDGE OFFSET FROM THE PLANE OF SAID BUCKLE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AND FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID LEG PORTION, A FIRST ARM PORTION JOINED AT ONE END TO SAID LEG PORTION ADJACENT THE OTHER END THEREOF, A SECOND ARM PORTION JOINED AT ONE END TO SAID LEG PORTION AND BEING SPACED FROM SAID FIRST ARM PORTION IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID FINGER PORTION, A THIRD ARM PORTION JOINED AT ONE END TO SAID LEG PORTION AND BEING SPACED FROM SAID SECOND ARM PORTION IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID FINGER PORTION, AND ARM PORTIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LEG PORTION, SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARM PORTIONS SERVING TO DEFINE A FIRST SLOT THEREBETWEEN, SAID SECOND AND THIRD ARM PORTIONS SERVING TO DEFINE A SECOND SLOT THEREBETWEEN, A BRIDGE PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID ARM PORTIONS AND JOINED THERETO WHEREBY TO CLOSE THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLOTS, SAID BRIDGE PORTION HAVING A LONGITUDINAL RIB EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF AND PROJECTING OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID BUCKLE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION, SAID FIRST ARM PORTION HAVING THE EDGE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID FIRST SLOT SPACED INWARDLY OF THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID LEG PORTION AND SAID BRIDGE PORTION WHEREBY TO DEFINE A LOCKING RECESS, SAID SECOND ARM PORTION HAVING THE EDGE THEREOF ALONG SAID FIRST SLOT BENT OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID BUCKLE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AND HAVING THE EDGE THEREOF ALONG SAID SECOND SLOT CONVEX IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID FINGER PORTION, AND SAID FIRST AND THIRD ARM PORTIONS HAVING THE EDGES THEREOF ALONG SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLOTS RESPECTIVELY BENT OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID BUCKLE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. 